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Thanks for all of the Good advice. I would like to stay under 10K for my first boat. I have been looking at a few Catalinas and Bristols around the NY - New England area. It looks like it gets real expensive to have these boats transported.

Anyone recommend a Sailing Club in the NY area?

I got prices to haul my A35 80 miles from Lake Champlain so I could work on it at home but the cost was absolutely ridiculous...$2000 each way.

04-09-2013 06:46 AM

Adirondackman

Re: Boat recommendations for a Newbe

Thanks for all of the Good advice. I would like to stay under 10K for my first boat. I have been looking at a few Catalinas and Bristols around the NY - New England area. It looks like it gets real expensive to have these boats transported.

...Joining a sailing club sounds like a good idea, but seems expensive - at least where I am, or maybe I'm not looking right. Are you talking SailTime or similar? Or joining a "yacht club" that has boats available to members? Or something else?...

Yes, SailTime is one, however many of ASA's schools are also tied to a sailing club that offer rental boats with a membership. I don't know where you live, but here's a link to the NY Sailing Center Club as an example.

Clubs may seem expensive, but after you factor in all the expenses you described (and there are many more you haven't), sailing clubs are a bargain, and they go a LONG WAY in helping eliminate a poor choice in buying that first boat for the newbie.

04-08-2013 04:57 PM

NewportNewbie

Re: Boat recommendations for a Newbe

I bought a 30 ft boat, learned on it, and loved it! Now I got LUCKY. Original owner is a friend of the family, showed me a lot and crewed for me when I was sailing in rougher weather. He bought a great boat and now passed that on to me because he bought a bigger boat.

My advice, go down to the local yacht clubs and harbor and talk to people about boats. After doing lots of research there are only a few other boats I would even consider buying because of the tiller, performance, size and amenities.

John, Here's my five-step process to getting into (or bailing out if it ain't your thing) of sailing:

1) Befriend a competent person with a sailboat and have him teach you. If that isn't possible, join a sailing social group. These groups match-up people who own boats with people who either wanna crew, learn to sail, or just enjoy sailing in general. If any of these don't work, enlist in a ASA certified sailing school.

2) Next (if you still think sailing is your thang), go buy a sailing dinghy. Sailing a dinghy will REALLY hone your skills, and teach you a lot about the physics of sailing.

3) Next (if you still think sailing is your thang), Join a Sailing Club. Sailing clubs allow you to rent boats by the hour, by the day, or by the weekend. Here you can start out small (foot wise), and work your way up to the size of boat you think you may eventually wanna own. If cruising is your end game, this is where I see most newbies discover that they would have quickly outgrown that 20-something footer had they bought one.

4) Next, If you've come this far, I'll assume sailing is your thang, and the somewhat controversial portion of my advice: If you truly love sailing, and, cruising is indeed your end game, and you have the resources to do so, go buy the boat that will fit those needs, and carefully grow into it. You won't be sorry you did.

5) Go enjoy life on the water.

I'm somewhere around steps 2-3. I've been crewing on OPB (other people's boats) for a few years and really enjoy it. But only going out on race days is very limiting. Joining a sailing club sounds like a good idea, but seems expensive - at least where I am, or maybe I'm not looking right. Are you talking SailTime or similar? Or joining a "yacht club" that has boats available to members? Or something else?

Personally, I find it interesting and a bit puzzling that people want to buy a sailboat to "learn" to sail on...

x2

John, Here's my five-step process to getting into (or bailing out if it ain't your thing) of sailing:

1) Befriend a competent person with a sailboat and have him teach you. If that isn't possible, join a sailing social group. These groups match-up people who own boats with people who either wanna crew, learn to sail, or just enjoy sailing in general. If any of these don't work, enlist in a ASA certified sailing school.

2) Next (if you still think sailing is your thang), go buy a sailing dinghy. Sailing a dinghy will REALLY hone your skills, and teach you a lot about the physics of sailing.

3) Next (if you still think sailing is your thang), Join a Sailing Club. Sailing clubs allow you to rent boats by the hour, by the day, or by the weekend. Here you can start out small (foot wise), and work your way up to the size of boat you think you may eventually wanna own. If cruising is your end game, this is where I see most newbies discover that they would have quickly outgrown that 20-something footer had they bought one.

4) Next, If you've come this far, I'll assume sailing is your thang, and the somewhat controversial portion of my advice: If you truly love sailing, and, cruising is indeed your end game, and you have the resources to do so, go buy the boat that will fit those needs, and carefully grow into it. You won't be sorry you did.

5) Go enjoy life on the water.

04-07-2013 11:23 AM

Boomberries

Re: Boat recommendations for a Newbe

Personally, I find it interesting and a bit puzzling that people want to buy a sailboat to "learn" to sail on. Have you sailed on other boats at all? Have you taken a course?
I concur with what HardTAC says ... think about trying to get out on other people's boats, sailing on different designs, and determining what you do and don't want is helpful. Racing with others on thieir boats, is very helpful in accomplishing this .

Untill you have sailed a bit, you won`t really know enough to determine what you want and need in your own sail boat. Be prepared that it will most likely depreciate in value rather quickly after you buy it, so if you find that sailing is not what you enjoy or expect, that you need to be prepared to resell your boat at a loss.
Or adversely if you find you really enjoy it, you will likely likely be upgrading within seven years.

With very little info re: prize range ... a C & C 27, or a Catalina 27 are pretty forgiving, in a reasonable price range, are good basics boats for day and weekend sailing, and would likely meet most of your needs.

If you can`t sail with others on varioius designs - shop around, come up with three boats that you think meet your needs and price range, then come back here. It will be easier to narrow down the pros and cons of the designs.

Good luck in your search

04-07-2013 11:15 AM

Passat

Re: Boat recommendations for a Newbe

Hi, I'm in the same area. Where you going to keep your boat? What marina in Great Sacandaga lake? What marina charges for storage and mooring? I think it's very important to know before you buy the boat.

04-07-2013 10:50 AM

Faster

Re: Boat recommendations for a Newbe

An Aileron 28 would fit the bill.... at $50-70K

As would a Catalina 27 at $5-7K

See the problem? How much would you like to spend? How 'old' are you willing to go? How much space do you need? Daysailing or weekending to start? etc..etc...

More data!!

04-07-2013 10:48 AM

smurphny

Re: Boat recommendations for a Newbe

The small boat idea is a good one to learn how to sail. Even a Sunfish will do for starters. I learned on a Lightning which would IMO be a good choice: trailerable, a real sailboat with a headsail, not overly expensive. On the other hand, if you wanted to go right to a keelboat, an A30 or a Triton might be boats to think about. They would carry you south with no problem, eliminating the need to switch later.

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